Sony May Be Listening on PS5 Discs, JRPG Boss Says

Nippon Ichi Software president Kenzo Saruhashi says Sony is hearing customer feedback on its plan to end physical PlayStation discs in 2028, offering a glimmer of hope.

Ever feel like your voice doesn't matter when big gaming decisions get made? Well, here's a tiny spark of hope for physical media fans. Sony might actually be listening when it comes to its plan to kill off PlayStation discs in 2028.

That's according to Kenzo Saruhashi, president of Nippon Ichi Software, the studio behind Disgaea and other cult-favorite JRPGs. In an interview with Kotaku, Saruhashi said, "In our discussions with Sony so far, I think that they're hearing a lot of the feedback from customers and so while that may be one destination that we arrive at, it's possible that the discussion may change in the future, so we'll have to see what happens, what comes of it." He made those comments earlier this month at PAX West, and they're only now getting attention.

Now, this doesn't mean Sony is hitting the brakes. The company hasn't announced any plans to backtrack on ending discs by 2028. But Saruhashi's words, combined with a recent unsubstantiated rumor from YouTube channel Moore's Law is Dead that Sony is surveying developers about the decision, have fans wondering if the door isn't completely shut.

For NIS, this isn't just about nostalgia. The company's subsidiary, NIS America, publishes beloved JRPG series like Ys and Trails, often in deluxe collector's editions that would be tough to sell without an actual game inside. "Speaking for myself, I know that a big part of our business model, particularly with NISA, is producing our physical limited editions," Saruhashi said. "And that's an important part of our business and we, for our part, intend to continue making those physical editions and delivering the exceptional quality that our customers are expecting of us."

So why would Sony even consider ditching discs? The business benefits are huge. No more manufacturing costs, no revenue sharing with retailers, full control over PlayStation Store prices, and zero pennies lost to used game sales. Some reports suggest Sony's biggest first-party games still make substantial revenue on disc, but clearly the company values market control more.

And let's not forget: ending discs almost certainly sets the stage for an all-digital PS6. With whispers of $1,000 consoles limiting the next-gen audience, Sony wants to maximize profit margins. But if fans keep rallying against the death of physical media, convincing them to drop big bucks on a new console gets a lot harder.

Personally? After a decade as a PlayStation-first player, this whole situation is pushing me away from the platform. The death of physical media is having the opposite effect on me—I've fallen back in love with my disc drive in 2026. What about you? Will you stick with PlayStation if discs disappear, or are you already team digital?